


The Importance of Names

by DeadInsideBTS



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M, Pirates, Soonyoung is kind of dumb but loveable, captain Jihoon, idek how to tag, will update tags as I update the story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2019-08-03 18:06:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16330976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadInsideBTS/pseuds/DeadInsideBTS
Summary: Soonyoung isn't the brightest sometimes. He still isn't entirely sure how he ended up joining one of the most notorious pirate crews. The captain of the ship hates him, but that's okay because the rest of the crew? They're great. So he doesn't need the captain's attention or affection. Definitely not.





	1. Chapter 1

_They say there once was a boy, kidnapped by the fiercest pirate. The boy was no older than six. He was raised by the pirate who kidnapped him and his crew. He learned quickly: how to navigate the seas, how to work the rigging, how to steal without being caught or noticed. The boy was quiet and observant. The crew confided their deepest, darkest secrets to the boy, seeing him as no threat. How wrong they were to do so._

_The boy eventually became strong enough to attempt a revolt. He blackmailed the crew into backing him against their beloved captain. At this time, the boy was fifteen. He battled the captain in a deadly clash of swords and pistols. It came close, much closer than anyone had expected. But the boy lost due to the captain using what some say was a type of black magic. The boy’s punishment for the failed revolt was to have weights tied to his feet and be thrown overboard._

_However, as the crew was about to tie the weights, a sudden storm appeared, disrupting the calm seas. It was all hands on deck, so no one paid any mind to the boy as he slipped away, stealing the jolly boat at the stern and loading it with as many precious items as he could find, before plunging down into the rough waters._

_The boy navigated the storm, the ship he grew up on sinking behind him in a splintering mess. He felt no sadness at the loss; he didn't even think twice about the lost crew that raised him, but who only used him to their advantage and personal gain._

_It's rumored that the gods of the sea favor the boy, blessing him as an apology for being thrown into a pirate's life. Some even think the boy himself is the reincarnation of a god._

_It is said that once the boy made it to a port along the coast of the Sands of the North, he traded everything he had for a small sailing ship and pirate crew that he could trust. With a crew under his command, he went back out to sea in search of a larger vessel to overtake._

_It is true, the boy never asked to be a pirate. It's not a life he would ever choose for himself if he were ever to be born again. Yet, he continued his life as a pirate, not knowing how to live any other way. The only difference was that he was the captain now._

_The boy quickly gained a reputation for the no-nonsense, aggressive efficiency of his actions.  
His title, The Kid, was spoken with a sort of reverence and fear. No one saw The Kid and lived. He remained a mystery. An enigma. Many believed The Kid was nothing more than a myth. To some, The Kid was a hero, to others he was an evil that needed to be destroyed._

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

 

 

There are times when Soonyoung can be a bit absent-minded. Fortunately, they don't typically cause him any problems. _Unfortunately_ , this is not one of those times. He zoned out while walking home and managed to get himself lost.

Not exactly a bad thing, it's still midday and the island he resides on isn't all too big. The sun is warm on his skin, a barely-there breeze making the five-petaled Penta flowers flutter in a way that reminds him of stars twinkling.

He's grown up here, on the third island of the archipelago of the Southern Suns. It's not particularly large in comparison to some other islands, but among the archipelago it's the largest and closest to the mainland, which makes it the ideal trading port.

The problem with Soonyoung getting lost is that he's on the opposite side of the island, staring out at the water where a large ship is anchored and bobbing on the small waves, miles from the port.

There's no sails up and no identifying flags. He squints into the sunlight reflecting off the water, but sees no one moving about on the deck of the ship Additionally, there are no smaller boats along the beach to indicate that the crew disembarked nearby.

The ship is huge, from what he can see standing on the sand. It's covered in intricate, swirling carvings that depict a menagerie of sea creatures surging forward as if in an oceanic battle. It's aesthetically different from any other merchant ship Soonyoung has seen pull into the port on the island.

But, this ship isn't in the port or harbor or any towns. It's about as far from it as it can get, actually. As Soonyoung wonders who's ship it is, he feels himself pulled to it like a moth to a flame. He walks along the shoreline, trying to get a better vantage point of the ship’s deck.

He wades out a bit, just to get a better view. He's infinitely curious about the mysterious ship, and it isn't all too far out. Either way, Soonyoung is strong, a good swimmer. He's grown up swimming in these waters his entire life and has no fear of going out into the open waters.

Before he realizes what he's doing, Soonyoung finds himself halfway out to the ship. He can't see a name painted on it, and he can't see the front for any identifying figurehead.

  
He gets close to the ship, finding that the carvings are conveniently placed in a manner that allow him to scale the starboard side. Heaving himself over the railing, he flops-rather ungracefully-onto the deck. He swivels his head around, expecting people to appear, but no one does. He catches his breath, still lying on his back like a starfish.

There's no sound other than that of the water slapping the ship. Eventually, he gets up, brushing off his pants and wandering around. There's not much to see. Onboard it looks like a typical ship. Bigger than any ship Soonyoung’s ever seen, but other than that, it's pretty much the same.

‘If you've seen one, you've seen ‘em all,’ he thinks to himself, shrugging his shoulders, easily bored.

He wonders where the crew is. ‘Maybe they took a smaller boat around the island, trying to find the port. They'll probably be back soon. If they're lost, I can show them how to get to there,” he decides.

He finds a small hammock fashioned out of old, unused sails and lies down. Lulled by the steady rocking of the ship and the familiar tingle of sunlight on his skin, Soonyoung finds himself falling asleep, cocooned by the fabric.

When he wakes up, the ship is rocking considerably more than he remembers. And the sun has begun to descend into the horizon. But that isn't what wakes him up. No, what wakes him up is someone’s startled yelp when they open up the hammock-cocoon and come face to face with him.

“AHHAHHDJLCLSJD,” the muscled man screams, clearly not expecting to find someone in their hammock.

“Hello,” Soonyoung says, looking up at him.

“OH MY GODS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING. WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU IN MY HAMMOCK?” The man yells at him, more pout and accusation than actual anger.

“I'm sorry,” Soonyoung stammers out, his ears burning hot. “I didn't mean to fall asleep. I was just curious about the ship and no one was here and I thought the crew might need help so I waited but I ended up-”

“Seungcheol,” another man walks over to the commotion. “What's going on?” The man’s hand hovers over his hip, where Soonyoung is surprised to see a machete resting.

“Get Captain Lee,” Seungcheol tells the long-haired man. Soonyoung begins to sweat when he notices that Seungcheol is armed too, a small pistol attached at his right hip.

The man nods, eyeing Soonyoung with suspicion and curiosity before leaving.

“I'm really, truly sorry about the misunderstanding. I'll just leave,” Soonyoung stands up to run, but when he looks to where land should be, he sees only water. In every direction.

‘Shit’ he thinks. ‘This is not good.’

“You're not going anywhere,” Seungcheol tells him, a stern look darkening his face.

Soonyoung almost wants to laugh. How can this man attempt to be intimidating after he clearly got jumpscared by Soonyoung earlier? Luckily, he's able to suppress the inappropriate laughter.

“You're staying right here until the captain gets here.”

Soonyoung takes a moment to look around. There's more crew milling about, shooting curious and completely unsubtle looks in his direction as they go about their work. He looks up to find a flag now being flown proudly at the stern. A black flag.

‘Double shit.’

Soonyoung gulps nervously, curling into himself a bit. He rocks nervously on his heels. Seungcheol shoots him a raised eyebrow.

“You seem pretty steady over there,” he nods at how Soonyoung is maintaining his balance with both the ship’s movement and his own nervous rocking.

“Oh…” he glances down at his feet. “Yeah, I’m a dancer, so I have pretty good balance.”

“Hm. Never heard of a dancing pirate before,” Seungcheol says.

Soonyoung can't tell if he's being serious or teasing him. Before he gets the chance to ask though, they’re interrupted by a small, grumpy-looking boy. Soonyoung can't tell if he's right or eighty.

“What's going on?” He commands, an angry scowl marring his features.

“Captain. I'm sorry to disrupt you, but I found this guy in my hammock,” Seungcheol gestures to Soonyoung.

‘Captain?’ He thinks to himself. ‘How can this kid be the captain of a pirate ship?’

It takes Soonyoung longer than it should to put the pieces together. This isn't some kid. It's The Kid. Soonyoung grew up hearing stories about The Kid. Most people he knew feared The Kid. Feared that he'd visit their ports and wreak havoc among their peaceful lives.

Not Soonyoung. He basically idolized The Kid, wishing he could be as cool as him. Pretending to be him when he's play pirates with his friends in his childhood. The Kid was Soonyoung’s childhood hero.

“Why are you on my ship?” He barks at Soonyoung.

“I-it was an accident?” He stumbles with his reasoning.

“So you just _accidentally_ swam out to a big fucking ship, climbed aboard, and waited until we were far enough out to sea to make yourself known?” He sarcastically confirms.

“Uhh...yes?” Soonyoung answers.

The Kid shoots him a look of disbelief.

Soonyoung makes the mistake of next saying, “are you The Kid?”

The Kid’s face turns poisonous. “Throw him overboard,” he hisses to Seungcheol.

“Captain!”

“Do it.”

Soonyoung panics. “Wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just curious. You were my childhood hero. I had to know if it was you. Please. Don't kill me,” he begs, falling to his knees.

“So you like a pirate named The Kid and thought it was me because I'm short? Because I look like child?” He spits the words at Soonyoung, seething.

“I-I-I,” Soonyoung doesn't know how to answer without making it worse.

“Come on, I don't have all night,” he says and Soonyoung can't tell if he's rushing Seungcheol to kill him or demanding an answer from him.

“I have good balance!” He blurts out, jumping to his feet.

The Kid levels him with an almost disgusted look. “And what do I care?”

“I can help. I can join the crew. You need good balance to work on a ship, right?” Soonyoung tries to reason, grasping at straws.

The Kid just squints at him suspiciously.

“It's true, Captain,” Seungcheol chimes in. “He has really good balance for someone that isn't a sailor.”

“Fine. But you're on thin ice. If you mess up, it's Davy Jones’s locker for you. Otherwise, you're off my ship at the next port. Got it?” He points threateningly at Soonyoung.

“Yes! Of course! Thank you so much,” Soonyoung kneels down again, holding his hands in a prayer towards the other.

“Call me Captain Lee,” he says authoritatively before leaving the deck, presumably returning to his Captain’s Quarters.

He turns with wide eyes to Seungcheol.

“Welcome aboard!” The man gives him a gummy smile. Soonyoung thinks he might get whiplash from how quickly Seungcheol’s mood changes. “I'm Seungcheol. I'm the Quartermaster aboard the Onsra.”

He shakes Seungcheol’s outstretched hand. “I'm Soonyoung,” he introduces himself.

“Sorry about Jihoon. He's not a bad person, just don't call him The Kid. Or at least, don't let him hear you call him that. Also, don't call him Jihoon; he'd skin me if he knew I just told you his first name. Oops.

Anyway, just call him Captain or Captain Lee to avoid angering him. He doesn't take to newcomers very easily.”

Soonyoung nods. He can't imagine Captain Lee taking to anyone easily. He follows as Seungcheol leads him below deck to the crew’s quarters. He gestures to a sleeping figure in a small bunk.

“That's Seokmin, our surgeon. You'll be bunking with him for the time being. We just finished up a big haul back on that island, so most of the crew has turned in for the night. You can sleep now too, and I'll give you a job in the morning. I have to go keep watchout for the night. If you need anything, feel free to ask anyone that's awake.”

With that, Seungcheol leaves. He's left with Seokmin, who’s snoring softly in the bed, and a handful of others in their own bunks in the small room. He contemplates just laying down and making himself comfortable next to Seokmin, but decides it'd be best to introduce himself first. He can't imagine it'd be all too pleasant for the man to wake up to a complete stranger laying in bed with him. It's just common courtesy to wake him first.

“Excuse me?” He shakes the surgeon gently.

The man rolls over, eyes alert. “What's wrong?” He asks, almost automatically. He blinks a few times, fully waking up before realizing he doesn't recognize the man before him. “Oh. Hi,” he says simply.

“Hi,” Soonyoung returns. They stare at each other for a moment. “Uh. I'm part of the crew now, I guess. Seungcheol said I would be sharing a bunk with you.”

“Oh. Well, I'm Seokmin. The surgeon. Nice to meet you, roomie,” he smiles kindly. It seems genuine and eases Soonyoung's nerves.

He finds himself smiling back, “I’m Soonyoung.”

Seokmin scooches himself closer to the wall, making room for Soonyoung. “Promise I won't bite,” he giggles at Soonyoung who continues to stare in uncertainty.

Eventually, he slides in next to Seokmin. He's startled when Seokmin automatically wraps himself around Soonyoung like an octopus. “Goodnight, Soonyoungie.”

Honestly, it's reassuring to be welcomed by Seokmin with (literally) open arms, especially after the way Captain Lee had initially reacted to him. That being wanting him dead. He finds himself returning Seokmin’s cuddling.

Soonyoung likes to think he's good at making friends. It seems he's already made one in Seokmin. He can only hope the rest of the crew is as friendly as Seokmin and, all things considered, Seungcheol.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soonyoung isn’t completely lost when it comes to pirate lingo; He did grow up pretending to be one, so he knows that ‘mess’ refers to what is essentially a cafeteria, not an actual mess. That schools be the case. Except, apparently not on the Onsra, where mess means mess. The whole space is covered in dirty plates covered in crumbs and a sludge of mysterious liquids coating the tabletops. Seokmin leads him casually inside. No one else in there at this hour besides them and the two cooks, who can be heard arguing loudly from the kitchen. Soonyoung can definitely hear the frustration in their voices, but they seem to be speaking a language he’s unfamiliar with, so he doesn’t catch what it is they’re saying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. More pirate svt for you :)

The following morning, Soonyoung wakes up feeling like he never had before. Feeling sicker, that is. He isn't sure what happens first: waking up or throwing up. All he knows is that one moment he's sleeping and the next he is emptying his stomach onto the floorboards, Seokmin gently rubbing his back. 

 

He retches and heaves until all he can do is cough and attempt to normalize his breathing. It’s obvious Soonyoung is seasick. While he has been on small fishing boats a multitude of times, nothing can compare to being out on the open seas-as he is now. His stomach is evidence enough of that. And so, instead of being assigned his new position aboard the ship, Seokmin more or less carries him to the ship’s hospital, where he lays him on one of the small beds and places a bucket beside him. Soonyoung doesn’t have to ask what the bucket is for. 

 

“You can stay here until your stomach settles a bit. Don’t worry about Seungcheol; I’ll tell him you’re sick. I have some chores to do this morning, so I have to leave you. Will you be okay by yourself?” Seokmin asks him.

 

Soonyoung nods his head, not trusting himself to open his mouth and be confident that nothing other than words will be coming from it. 

 

Seokmin leaves him with a blinding smile, and Soonyoung wonders why the other has been so accommodating, not asking a single question about how he ended up on the ship, or even showing the slightest curiosity. The same cannot be said about the others, who Soonyoung catches a glimpse of as they peer into the hospital room through the door as Seokmin exits. Soonyoung recognizes one of them from yesterday as Jeonghan. The other is a round faced boy with pursed lips, inspecting and judging Soonyoung with just the split second glance given to him by the opening of the door. 

 

When the door finally does swing shut, Soonyoung is left in solitude. The boat rocks gently, occasionally riding high on a wave before dipping down especially low and bringing Soonyoung’s stomach with it. He dry heaves multiple times, almost wishing he could fill his stomach just so he had something to empty from it other than stomach acid. He lays on his back for what could be hours, minutes, or seconds. It’s like being on this boat has taken away any sense of the passing of time. 

 

Distantly, voices call out orders and jests to one another. Luckily, Soonyoung’s stomach calms enough for him to drift off back to sleep. When he next wakes, Seokmin is sitting at a desk across from him, wire-rimmed glasses-that Soonyoung suspects doesn’t actually have lenses in it- perched on his nose as he scribbles in a notebook. Soonyoung pulls himself upright on the bed, gaining the other’s attention.

 

“Oh, good to see you up. Are you feeling any better?” Seokmin inquires. 

 

“Yeah, I think,” Soonyoung clears his throat, feeling the burn of acid still lingering in it. 

 

“I think Junhui and Minghao have some lunch leftover if you feel up to eating,” Seokmin suggests. 

 

“Yeah, that’d be good. At least if I do get sick again I’ll have something to show for it,” Soonyoung jokes half-heartedly. Seokmin lets out a barking laugh, closing his notebook and pulling the glasses off his face. 

 

“Follow me. I’ll show you to the mess and introduce you to our cooks.” Seokmin guides him out of the room. 

 

The smell of salt in the air should not be so surprising to Soonyoung, but it smacks him in the face with just how strong it is. He can practically taste it; he thinks he might even feel it crystallizing on his skin. The mess isn’t too far from the hospital room, but Soonyoung still catches the attention of a number of crew. 

 

Soonyoung isn’t completely lost when it comes to pirate lingo; He did grow up pretending to be one, so he knows that ‘mess’ refers to what is essentially a cafeteria, not an actual  _ mess _ . That schools be the case. Except, apparently not on the Onsra, where  _ mess _ means  _ mess _ . The whole space is covered in dirty plates covered in crumbs and a sludge of mysterious liquids coating the tabletops. Seokmin leads him casually inside. No one else in there at this hour besides them and the two cooks, who can be heard arguing loudly from the kitchen. Soonyoung can definitely hear the frustration in their voices, but they seem to be speaking a language he’s unfamiliar with, so he doesn’t catch what it is they’re saying. 

 

“HEY! WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF!” Seokmin shouts, startling Soonyoung. He shoots him an apologetic smile. 

 

The two men exit the kitchen, huffing and swatting at each other to get through the door before the other. Soonyoung suppresses a giggle. They stop suddenly when they see Soonyoung, who shuffled a bit self consciously under their gazes. 

 

“This is Soonyoung. My new bunk mate. He’s been a bit sick and missed breakfast this morning. Is there anything left he could have?” Seokmin asks inquisitively. 

 

“Ehh...I’m not sure,” the shorter of the two says, now speaking the same language as them. 

 

“Psh,” the other waves his hand dismissively, “of course we can find something for him.” He elbows his partner, eyes not leaving Soonyoung as he gives him a reassuring smile. “I’m Junhui, but you can call me Jun. The grumpy one here is The8.” 

 

Soonyoung looks questioning at Seokmin, but the other is still looking at the two cooks with his usual smile in place. “Is that really…?” He’s afraid to finish his question. 

 

“As far as you or anyone else on this ship is concerned-yes. That really is my name,” The8 picks up. 

 

Soonyoung nods, an apology on his lips, but Jun is already dragging The8 back into the kitchen to find something to serve him. 

 

“Don’t worry,” Seokmin pats him on the back. “The8 really isn’t that bad. He’ll warm up to you. He’s just got a bit of a bad boy attitude that he wants people to buy into.” 

 

Soonyoung and Seokmin sit at a table, pushing aside whatever’s already on it, and wait for the food to be brought out. While they wait Soonyoung explains to Seokmin how he ended up on the boat. The full story. Seokmin laughs at him, but not cruelly. Soonyoung asks him not to tell the others-it’s embarrassing- to which Seokmin just mimes zipping his lips shut. 

 

“Did Jun and The8 know each other before becoming- ya know-  _ pirates _ ,” Soonyoung whispers the last part. 

 

Seokmin leans in, like he’s gonna share a secret. “No. But they are both from the shadier part of the spice route of southeast Tuqburni. Although, I did hear a rumor recently that Jun and The8-”

 

“ **Here’s your food,”** The8 harshly places the plate in front of Soonyoung, cutting off Seokmin’s revelation with a wicked glare. 

 

Seokmin just returns it with a cheeky smile. “I think I hear someone calling for me. I should go see who’s hurt.” And just like that, Soonyoung’s left alone under the glare of The8. 

 

The8 man looks down at him calculatingly for a moment. “Welcome aboard,” he says begrudgingly before returning to the kitchen. 

 

Soonyoung eats everything on the plate. It isn’t great, but everything considered it’s better than he expected pirate food to taste. He can still hear The8 grumbling aggressively, but as long as it’s not directed at him, Soonyoung doesn’t care. 

 

The doors to the room swing open and Seungcheol strolls in. “Hey, kid. I heard you weren’t feelin’ too hot earlier.”

 

Soonyoung swallows the last of his food before replying. “Yeah. But I feel okay now.”

 

“Perfect because I have a job for you,” Seungcheol turns to walk back out the door, Soonyoung scrambling behind him to follow. 

 

Soonyoung panics momentarily over what to do with his dirty plate, but eventually decides to just leave it. The rest of the crew seem to have done the same earlier, so what’s the harm in him doing the same? Seungcheol leads him to the main deck, where a round-faced man waits with an air of impatience and skepticism. Soonyoung recognizes him from catching a glimpse of the other this morning through the hospital door. 

 

“This is Seungkwan, our boatswain. He’ll give you your jobs for the day and teach you how to do it properly,” Seungcheol introduces the man. “Seungkwan,” He turns to him, “this is Soonyoung, our newest crew member.”

 

Seungkwan gives Soonyoung a calculating look, lips pursed. “Thank you, Seungcheol. I can handle it from here.” 

 

Seungcheol nods once, looking satisfied with himself, before walking away and leaving the two in an uncomfortable staring match. 

 

“If you’re here to sabotage us or try to get insider information, you can throw yourself overboard now and save us all the trouble,” is what Seungkwan eventually says. 

 

Soonyoung is shocked by the bold statement, but tries not to let it shake him. “Uh no? I mean- I’m not here to do any of those things. I ended up here on accident. I’ll be off this ship as soon as possible. Promise.” Soonyoung finds himself trying to ease the other’s harsh and suspicious attitude. 

 

“Good. I’m surprised the captain hasn’t already  _ dispensed  _ of you,” Seungkwan says, almost flippantly. 

 

“Oh trust me, he tried.” Soonyoung looks off into the distance like he’s recalling a traumatic event, which he kind of  _ is.  _

 

This piques Seungkwan’s interest. “And?” He drops the pretentious tone, genuine curiosity and intrigue overriding it. 

 

“And I nearly pissed myself and cried at his feet begging. But Seungcheol stuck up for me. I’m not sure why. I guess I owe him my life now. Huh, never owed someone my life before. I wonder how that’s supposed to wo-“

 

“ _ Ahem,”  _ Seungkwan  _ subtly _ cuts him off. 

 

“Sorry. I get a bit carried away and start rambling when I’m nervous.” Soonyoung rubs his palms against his thighs, a nervous habit. 

 

Seungkwan has his eyebrows raised in good humor. “Anywaaaay, why don’t I just show you what your job will be?”

 

“Okay,” Soonyoung follows Seungkwan across the main deck, feeling a bit idiotic. At least Seungkwan seems less suspicious of him. 

 

They walk to the mainmast and stop. Seungkwan raises his arm, pouting straight up. Soonyoung follows the movement with his eyes, squinting into the sunlight raining down on them. He looks back down at Seungkwan in confusion. 

 

Seungkwan smirks at him. “I heard you have good balance. You any good at climbing?”

 

Soonyoung’s heaving and out of breath by the time he finally reaches the crow’s nest. He leans his weight against the railing, muscles burning. The ship dips down-Soonyoung grips the railing- and when it rides back up on the wave he swings his head up with it. If anyone asked, Soonyoung would swear that his heart skipped a beat. Not because he’s scared-no, because the view is  _ breathtaking _ . 

 

Soonyoung’s never been out to sea like this before. He could never have imagined how beautiful the ocean looks reflecting the sunbeams back into the atmosphere, twinkling like stars in the night sky. To see the way the waves roll and tumble and fall unto one another is unbelievable. 

 

Soonyoung can feel his eyes widening like saucers. It’s a shame his time here is limited. He isn’t sure he can yet say he’ll miss it, but it will definitely remain a special memory. 

 

“It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it?” Seungkwan is suddenly behind him. Soonyoung hadn’t even noticed him entering behind him. 

 

“Yeah. Kind of.” He can’t get himself to look away as he replies. 

 

———

 

Seungkwan explains his job quickly so he can get back to his own. It’s simple enough really: keep a lookout for anything other than water. An idiot could do it. 

 

Soonyoung likes his new job for the first hour or so. He looks out at the open ocean is a mesmerized daze. At times the business of the deck below catches his ear and he’ll look down for a few minutes, watching the crew as if they’re actors in a play and Soonyoung is their audience. 

 

However, after the third hour of nothing happening, Soonyoung finds himself dozing off. Sitting in the sun all afternoon makes him sleepy. The gentle rocking of the ship is soothing. Soonyoung can’t be blamed if his eyelids begin to droop and his blinks last longer and longer. 

 

“Hey,” a deep voice says out of nowhere. 

 

Soonyoung’s head shoots up, and he definitely  _ does not _ let out a yelp of terror. He swings his head to where the voice comes from. There’s someone climbing ropes across from him. 

 

“Hi?” Soonyoung’s reply comes out more as a question, his voice shaking slightly, nervous that he’s gonna get chewed out for falling asleep. 

 

“Were you just  _ sleeping _ ?” The man asks incredulously. 

 

Soonyoung is embarrassed, but refuses to let this man get the upper hand. “Depends who’s asking,” is all he says. 

 

The man’s mouth quirks into a smirk. “I’m Wonwoo. You’re the dancer, right?”

 

Soonyoung just blinks at him. 

 

Wonwoo laughs at him. “Don’t worry. I won’t snitch on you to the captain. Why don’t you let me take over your post so you don’t get in trouble?”

 

Soonyoung isn’t sure if this is some sort of test, but he figures it’s bad enough he was already caught sleeping. “Should I do your job then,” he asks tentatively. 

 

Wonwoo shakes his head at him, chuckling. “Nah. It’s a slow day. There’s not much for me to be doing anyway.”

 

Soonyoung nods at him and begins climbing down. When he reaches the deck he looks up to find Wonwoo already inhabiting the crows nest. Soonyoung isn’t sure how he got there so fast, but he’s too scared to ask. 

 

——

 

He spends the day wandering the ship. People stay out of his way for the most part, whispers of the captain’s disdain for him keeping everyone at arm’s length. And yet, there are some friendly enough to introduce themselves. He meets Mingyu, the gunner, and Dino, a younger boy who assists Mingyu with the cannons. 

 

He spends most of the day following around a boy named Hansol who does small repairs around the ship. Hansol doesn’t immediately seem like the talkative type, but he must sense Soonyoung’s unease, so he talks Soonyoung through his work and doesn’t comment on his shadowing him. 

 

——-

 

Seungkwan approaches Hansol where he sands a plank of wood. He eyes Soonyoung suspiciously where he sits a few feet away on a box. Seungkwan ducks his head, saying something to Hansol that is clearly not meant for Soonyoung’s ears. He has an inkling it has to do with something about him. Whatever it is has Hansol shaking his head and chuckling. Soonyoung leans in, but quickly shuffled back when Seungkwan turns towards him. 

 

“I’d be on my best behavior tonight if I were you,” he says mysteriously. 

 

Soonyoung’s forehead wrinkles. “What do you mean?”

 

“The captain knows you were sleeping on the job and he’s not pleased.” 

 

_ Shit. Wonwoo must have- _

 

“And before you get mad at Wonwoo,” Seungkwan cuts him off, reading his mind. “He didn’t say anything. Nothing on this ship stays hidden from the captain. He knows  _ everything _ ,” Seungkwan whispers conspiratorially. Hansol snorts behind him. 

 

“What’s tonight?” Soonyoung backtracks. 

 

“It’s the night after a successful raid and the seas are calm. Naturally, we celebrate. There’ll be a mandatory dinner for all crew and after Joshua will play for us. Sometimes we all just sit around and sing. Sometimes we play cards and gamble. It’s fun. Sometimes the captain joins us for the party after.”

 

“Oh,” Soonyoung nods. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

 

“Exactly. So as long as you stay out of the captain’s way tonight, you’ll be fine!” Seungkwan’s exclamation is so over the top it almost reassures Soonyoung. Almost. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments to let me know what you guys think :)) reading them really encourages me. Anyway, THANK YOU to everyone for reading and for encouraging me to continue this :) I hope you all continue to enjoy and support this <3
> 
> Twitter: DeadInsideN0tes

**Author's Note:**

> Oh look another new fic while I have ten bajillion other fics waiting to be updated. Haha oops (:  
> What do you guys think? Should I continue this? Give me a kudos or comment if you liked it and want more :)  
> Twt: DeadInsideN0tes  
> IG: sunshine_hoshi


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